It stands at the place of one of the three wooden crosses erected—according to historical tradition—at the behest of Saint Nino to mark adoption of Christianity by the people of Kartli.

The church is inscribed on the list of Georgia's Immovable Cultural Monuments of National Significance.

[1] The Aghaiani church tops Mount Tkhoti, 845 m high, on the left bank of the Mtkvari (Kura).

In the 9th or 10th century, the church was remodeled into a hall church: its cross-like appearance was retained as were a semi-circular apse and the western arm, but the dome was replaced with a barrel vault rested on five arches and the northern and southern arms were built up.

The southern façade boasts an inscription in the medieval Georgian asomtavruli script, arranged in three lines.